Saturday's letters: Political hacks

Published: Saturday, July 20, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, July 19, 2013 at 6:14 p.m.

To the editor: Another interesting thing has happened on the Wall Street scene. The Tribune Co. has bought 19 more TV stations, making it one of the largest station groups in the country. Financing came from a $4.1 billion line of credit from JP Morgan and Citi.

The interesting thing is that the Tribune Co. just emerged from bankruptcy late last year.

If you or I go through the misery of bankruptcy, our credit is trashed for a long, long time. And if we get a small amount of credit, we pay an exorbitant amount of interest.

The rules of corporations sound the same as those that you and I follow. A bankruptcy is a bankruptcy, isn’t it? But these rules, which sound the same, are vastly different. And we know that bankruptcy is only one example of the difference.

If we understand that politicians of all parties have purposefully made this playing field uneven, we realize that we are responsible. Why? Because we have re-elected each of them.

We elect politicians (political hacks) because our political parties misdirect our attention to hot-button emotional issues that will never be resolved. Our political parties never encourage us to see the mischief under the rug.

Bill Fitch

Hendersonville

Pressing needs

To the editor: The Times-News devotes considerable print space to the Flat Rock Playhouse, including a seemingly endless string of letters touting the virtues of its latest performance. And while I am a fan and believe the Playhouse is a significant player in the local economy and culture of our community, it is only one of many quality entertainment venues.

In my opinion, the Playhouse primarily benefits the local merchants and those local residents who can afford the tickets. I question whether taxpayer money can be justified to support such an enterprise that benefits only a narrow segment of our community. It once did and once again should be required to stand on its own financially, and be supported solely by those who benefit from it.

There are many other important issues to be covered in the Times-News columns and letters, such as education, health care, mental health, crime and drugs, hospital issues, unemployment and attracting new businesses. How do we justify public money and disproportionate news space going to Playhouse entertainment when there are so many other pressing social needs to be addressed? Somebody needs to say it.

Clay Smith

Hendersonville

Media garbage

To the editor: Why do the media refer to themselves as the “news media”? They no longer tell “just the facts,” as the “Dragnet” TV show used to say. Instead, they present news from the perspective they want us to see it as. Instead of the whole truth, they report half-truths, take things out of context to push their “politically correct” agenda.

It will be a cold day in hell when they give coverage to President Barack Obama like they did during Mr. George W. Bush’s eight years in office. They feed us what garbage they hope we will swallow. Fox News attempts to feed us both sides. Notice I said “attempts.”

Our country was founded as a Christian nation. Freedom of religion was extended to all faiths. We’ve allowed this “politically correct” garbage, among other things, to assume all religions are OK except Christianity. Imagine if I said I was offended by you saying or praying to Mohammad. Would there be this same “offended by” garbage? The answer is no!

Christians believe in everyone’s right of freedom of religion. If you are offended by my praying and saying Jesus’ name, then I say “Get a life!”

<p>To the editor: Another interesting thing has happened on the Wall Street scene. The Tribune Co. has bought 19 more TV stations, making it one of the largest station groups in the country. Financing came from a $4.1 billion line of credit from JP Morgan and Citi.</p><p>The interesting thing is that the Tribune Co. just emerged from bankruptcy late last year.</p><p>If you or I go through the misery of bankruptcy, our credit is trashed for a long, long time. And if we get a small amount of credit, we pay an exorbitant amount of interest.</p><p>The rules of corporations sound the same as those that you and I follow. A bankruptcy is a bankruptcy, isn’t it? But these rules, which sound the same, are vastly different. And we know that bankruptcy is only one example of the difference.</p><p>If we understand that politicians of all parties have purposefully made this playing field uneven, we realize that we are responsible. Why? Because we have re-elected each of them.</p><p>We elect politicians (political hacks) because our political parties misdirect our attention to hot-button emotional issues that will never be resolved. Our political parties never encourage us to see the mischief under the rug.</p><p><em>Bill Fitch</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p><h3>Pressing needs</h3>
<p>To the editor: The Times-News devotes considerable print space to the Flat Rock Playhouse, including a seemingly endless string of letters touting the virtues of its latest performance. And while I am a fan and believe the Playhouse is a significant player in the local economy and culture of our community, it is only one of many quality entertainment venues.</p><p>In my opinion, the Playhouse primarily benefits the local merchants and those local residents who can afford the tickets. I question whether taxpayer money can be justified to support such an enterprise that benefits only a narrow segment of our community. It once did and once again should be required to stand on its own financially, and be supported solely by those who benefit from it.</p><p>There are many other important issues to be covered in the Times-News columns and letters, such as education, health care, mental health, crime and drugs, hospital issues, unemployment and attracting new businesses. How do we justify public money and disproportionate news space going to Playhouse entertainment when there are so many other pressing social needs to be addressed? Somebody needs to say it.</p><p><em>Clay Smith</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p><h3>Media garbage</h3>
<p>To the editor: Why do the media refer to themselves as the news media? They no longer tell just the facts, as the Dragnet TV show used to say. Instead, they present news from the perspective they want us to see it as. Instead of the whole truth, they report half-truths, take things out of context to push their politically correct agenda.</p><p>It will be a cold day in hell when they give coverage to President Barack Obama like they did during Mr. George W. Bush’s eight years in office. They feed us what garbage they hope we will swallow. Fox News attempts to feed us both sides. Notice I said attempts.</p><p>Our country was founded as a Christian nation. Freedom of religion was extended to all faiths. We’ve allowed this politically correct garbage, among other things, to assume all religions are OK except Christianity. Imagine if I said I was offended by you saying or praying to Mohammad. Would there be this same offended by garbage? The answer is no!</p><p>Christians believe in everyone’s right of freedom of religion. If you are offended by my praying and saying Jesus’ name, then I say Get a life!</p><p>This is what I believe.</p><p><em>Michael Joyce</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p>